


Naga

by KQueen26



Category: Hazbin Hotel (Web Series)
Genre: Abusive Henroin, Angel Dust Being Angel Dust (Hazbin Hotel), Arackniss is Bad at Feelings (Hazbin Hotel), Biracial Sir Pentious, Bisexual Sir Pentious (Hazbin Hotel), Fluff and Smut, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Implied/Referenced Transphobia, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Self-Harm, Self-Hatred, Slow Burn, Some angst, Supportive Angel Dust, Top Sir Pentious (Hazbin Hotel), Trans Male Character, Trans Sir Pentious, bottom arackniss, hopefully a happy ending
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-13
Updated: 2021-03-20
Packaged: 2021-03-21 06:35:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30017637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KQueen26/pseuds/KQueen26
Summary: When Arackniss is presumably killed in a turf war, he is rescued by a serpentine demon who nurses him back to health before returning him to Henroin.  As the two continue to bond, Sir Pentious tears down some of his own walls as he tries to help Arackniss get out of a dangerous situation: Life with his father.
Relationships: Alastor/Angel Dust (Hazbin Hotel), Arackniss/Sir Pentious (Hazbin Hotel)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 35





	1. Author's Note

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Hazbin Hotel or it's characters. They all belong to Vivienne Medrano AKA VivziePop.

Hey, all!

So, I'm taking a crack at one of my favorite Hazbin ships, Arackniss and Sir Pentious. I read a lot of PentNiss fanfics and seems plenty of fan art, so I fell in love with it. So, I've decided to try it out with a fanfic of my own. It's gonna have some heavy parts but also its sweetest moments.

Trigger warning: This work contains some violence (graphic or otherwise), references to homophobia and transphobia, some self-loathing dialogue, and even mention of suicide. If this bothers you, you're free to skip through those parts.

As mentioned in the tags, Pent is going to be a trans male character. Something I saw in another fanfic I read and I rattled the idea around in my head. In this story, he's also biracial, having an Indian mother and a British father. I created a backstory for Pent revolving around his feelings about identity, sexuality, and his own insecurity. I'm a history nut, so I tried to do it all to the letter. And because I like _The Jungle Book_ , I might throw in a Kipling reference. See how it goes.

With Pen, I'm also going to give him some more unique abilities. In this story, his tail can turn into a pair of legs when he wants to.

Another thing I mentioned in the tags is Arackniss is bad at feelings, but that's because he's a complicated guy. In this story, he's conflicted over a lot of things: Loyalty to his father, his feelings for Pent, his emotions, etc. He's also going to come to grips about how his father treats him and how he will try to mend his relationship with Angel. Before I forget, for his real name, it's Dante. I'm a fan of Dante Alighieri and the name "Dante" means "enduring". Thought it was fitting.

Also, beware of fluff so sweet it may cause cavities just by reading and some smut. Pent is a top, but likes to switch.

I'm always open to comments, feedback, and maybe an idea or two. You're free to leave anything in the comment section.

Enjoy!


	2. MIA

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> During a turf war after a deal gone wrong, Arackniss is injured and goes missing. The spider sniper is rescued by Sir Pentious, who nurses him back to health.

It was supposed to be simple. Get the shit for Pops, get out, and go home. Of course, the sketchy bastard who offered to sell the Barone Mob guns and weapons would try to double cross him. He had the weapons like he said, but when he tried to ask for more money and Arackniss refused to give him any, the weasel demon decided to break out his big guns and his burliest guards to blast Niss and his backup to kingdom come. It did not take long for all Hell to break loose, pun not intended. The black spider cursed himself for not seeing this coming. Taking cover behind a wall, Arackniss fired on his opponents with another Barone member, Mario. The weasel had already wiped out most of the guys who came with Arackniss, leaving him with Mario. By most of the mob's standards, Mario was the youngest, having died in the Nineties, but he was a capable guy when it came to the job. One Arackniss's job had was to keep the kid out of trouble.

"I already called the Don, Niss." Mario says. "He's on his way."

"Let's hope we can get out asses outta here when he gets here." Arackniss said in between shots. "This shithole looks like it's gonna come down on us any minute."

That part was more than true. This meeting took place in an abandoned building on the edge of Henroin's turf and that of another kingpin's. From the looks of those weapons, Arackniss's guess was that weasel stole them from someone else and tried to pawn them off to the Barones. His Pops wouldn't care where they came from. Niss knew that. The fuckers were still coming at them hard and one of the weasel's bullets shit Arackniss's left arm. The spider winced in pain and dropped his gun. Mario grabbed him and held him by his side as he continued shooting. The bullet from Mario shot one of the weasel's henchman, but the shark-like demon fell back and landed on a bomb that the weasel stole. The countdown kicked in and electronic voice announced it will explode in five minutes.

Arackniss looked at Mario. "Get the fuck outta here!"

"I can't leave you. The Don'll have my neck if--"

The spider shoved the younger spider demon out of the way and into another corridor while Arackniss went the other way. He scoped this place out before he met with the weasel. This building has multiple ways out and he thinks they might be able to make it out in time and loose the weasel's boys if they split up. Arackniss's arm was throbbing from the pain. He hoped he could get out soon. However, there soon came a distant boom and the walls and ceilings began to come down. Arackniss was close to getting out before everything landed on him.

* * *

A black car pulled up to what was left of the building and a burly, grayish-black spider in a fedora and black suit came out of the back passenger seat, soon accompanied by more Barone cars and mobsters. Henroin didn't need to know that things had gone to shit. But what Mario said when he called was all the proof he needed. Whatever wasn't reduced to gravel looked like it was ready to crumble and even the gentlest touch.

The weasel arms dealer emerged from the rubble and the don grabbed him by the neck. The demon was struggling for air and a disgusted Henroin threw him on the ground and shot him in the back of the head with his gun. Holstering his weapon, the spider looked at the ruins.

"Search every inch of the rubble." Henroin tells his associates. The Barone members immediately went to work searching for any survivors, whether their own or one of the treacherous weasel's. Henroin's foot stepped on something and he looked on the ground to find something metallic. Picking it up, he inspected it. It may have been part of one of the stolen weapons, most likely the bomb. The insignia on it was what got his attention. A top hat with a serpent on it. He knew whose weapons his mob was trying to buy. Sir Pentious. Considering they were on the edge of the serpent's territory, it's most likely the weasel was trying to sell Henroin his weapons.

They were able to find Mario but not Arackniss. Mario explained that Niss was shot and they split up. Henroin was miffed that he left his son, but considering there's no sign of him anywhere, there was a chance he might have been able to get away. On that note, the don sent two of his men to search the area for any trace of Arackniss. He couldn't have gotten far if he was injured.

* * *

Niss's eyes opened and he found himself in a bedroom rather than the ruins of a shitty building. The walls were decorated with red, black, and gold with red curtains draping the windows, dark wood floors with a burgundy rug, and an old-fashioned dresser on one side. Arackniss lay in a four-poster bed with a dark red comforter with matching pillows. As he moved, he winced in pain. His injured arm was in a sling and he noticed his top half was bare. He was a skinny guy, but he also was toned and lean.

 _Where the fuck am I?_ he thought. He tried to get up, but his body throbbed. He took a bigger beating than he thought.

The door opened and Arackniss looked to see a serpentine demon slither in. He had a black and white body with red eyes lining up and down his tail, with one locate above his sternum, red claws on his black hands, and a cobra-like hood black on one side but yellow with red eyes on the side facing him. He wore a black coat with yellow pinstripes, a black and yellow bowtie, and a top hat with another red eye and what looked like a mouth with sharp teeth. Sir Pentious.

"Finally. You're awake." said the snake. As he came in further, Arackniss noticed Pentious was carrying a tray with a glass of water and a medicine bottle of some kind. "I was getting worried."

"Where am I?" the black spider asked. "What am I doing here?"

"Nice to see you too." Pentious seemed to ignore the question and sat the tray on the nightstand beside the bed. "But to answer your question, you're in my Lair and I fished you out of the rubble to help you recover. My warehouse was robbed recently and I tracked the thief down to an abandoned building on the edge of my territory. I don't know what happened there, but be grateful I got you out before you were buried alive completely."

"Those were your weapons that weasel tried to sell me?" Arackniss said. He subconsciously moved his arm and he once again seethed in pain.

"Here." Pentious handed him the water and a pill. "This will help with the pain." The spider looked at the pill and swallowed and took a sip of the water. "Now, care to explain shed some light on the situation for me?"

After a moment, the spider told the snake what happened. He swore he had no idea those weapons were stolen from Pentious and he did not expect to be betrayed by the guy who agreed to sell them over to the Barones. When the spider tried to get out of bed, he moaned. One of his legs was in agony and the serpent slithered in front of him.

"You're not going anywhere in your condition." Pentious tells him, easing Arackniss down onto the mattress. "You took quite a beating when the building collapsed. I suggest you stay here to recuperate."

"Pops'll be--"

"I'll deal with Henroin." said the serpent. "You focus more on trying to heal. I'll come back to check on you later."

The spider settled back down and took another sip of the water and Sir Pentious left the room. Coming to his study, the snake kingpin sat at his desk and dialed his candlestick phone. After a few moments, another voice came on through the other side of the phone line.

"Who is this?" Henroin's voice spoke.

"I can see where Arackniss gets his manners." Pentious says. "Listen Henroin, I have Arackniss here in my home and he explained to me what happened regarding my stolen weapons and how that building went down. Now, your son is safe and recuperating, but I'd like to be compensated regarding the theft of my property."

"How the fuck am I supposed to do that?"

"How about a deal?" Pentious says, a devious grin forming on his face.


	3. Business Deal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I always prefer to believe the best of everybody; it saves so much trouble."
> 
> Henroin agrees to hire out Sir Pentious to make weapons for the Barones. As Arackniss's recovery moves along, the spider learns a little more about his serpentine savior.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From here on, I'm going to start with the Kipling quotes to kick off each chapter. I found this website with inspirational quotes by Kipling. Check it out if you're interested.
> 
> Here's the link: https://quotes.thefamouspeople.com/rudyard-kipling-40.php
> 
> Now, enjoy!

Arackniss sat up in the bed and looked out a nearby window. The aspirin Sir Pentious gave him helped ease the pain but his whole body felt like he was in a gangbang gone wrong. His father was going to be pissed when he finds out he botched up the deal. He knew what Hebron was like. His thoughts were interrupted by the door opening.

Pentious came in carrying a tray with a silver dinner platter and a cup with some kind of drink.

“What’s this?” says the spider, wary of the snake’s intentions.

“I imagine you’re famished.” Pentious replied, removing the platter’s lid. There was a tender-looking steak on fancy-looking plate with greens and mashed potatoes drizzled in brown gravy. It looked delectable.

Niss took the silverware and tried to cut with his one good hand, but obviously he struggled. Pent cut the meat up into good chunks so he could fork them himself. Niss would be lying if he said this steak was okay. It was the most delicious thing he’d ever eaten.

“Why are you doing this for me?” Niss asked.

“I am a lot of things, my dear Arackniss,” hisses Pent, flicking his forked tongue as he did. “But I wouldn’t leave an innocent soul out to die. Even if he’s a member of the Barone Mob. By the way, I called your father.”

The black arachnid stood silent. “What? What did you say?”

“Not much. Just that I rescued his star sniper and capo and I’d be willing to design and sell him weapons for the Barones as compensation for what I’d lost.”

The spider cocked an eyebrow. “Why the fuck would you do that?”

“I made it my empire as a private contractor for any scum or villain to have a weapon of mass destruction of any kind. Everyone in Hell worth their sins knows that the Barones are looking for some big guns, so since I’m going to make sure you’re on the road to recovery, I might as well cash in on it.”

“And the Don’s okay with you doing this for me?”

“I found him surprisingly reasonable.” Pent said. “For a mobster, you need to be in tiptop shape. So I’ll be helping you with that. Now eat up. I’ll have one of my eggs here to check up on you later.”

As the snake slithered off, the spider tried to ask what he meant by “his eggs”, but was too late. About an hour later, one of the Egg Bois came by and took his dirty dishes away.

* * *

The Egg Bois had finished running his bath while another set was unlacing the snake’s specialized corset. Pent had given specific orders to leave once the thing was fully undone. As the laces were untied, Pent dismissed his egg servants. Looking in the mirror of his vanity, he slipped it off to reveal the mounds on his chest and his body’s curves. Scanning his body up and down, Pent let out a sigh. He wished he could have gotten a more masculine body when he fell down here. But no. Thank God his genius had ways of hiding his true form.

Slithering into the tub, Pent relaxed and let the warm water engulf him. There was a perfect amount of bubbles and the water’s temperature was just how he liked it. This was probably one of his most favorite ways to relax.

He pondered about the black spider. Arackniss has quite the reputation in Hell’s criminal world, and now he was in his home. This seemed to good to be true. If he could get the sniper on his side, Sir Pentious will be the biggest kingpin in the Inferno. Making weapons for his mob was a good start. While he doesn’t know why he’s so interested in the spider, he learned to try and see the best in people, when he could anyway. It saves one so much trouble.

Done with his bath, Pentious uncorked the tub to drain the water, dried off with a towel, put on his satin red robe, and sat on his bed to finish reading his book.


	4. Brooding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I never made a mistake in my life; at least, never one that I couldn't explain away afterwards."
> 
> As Arackniss's recovery begins, he wonders why Sir Pentious is going out of his way to help him and accidentally discovers one of the snake's secrets.

The next few days were Arackniss trying to walk again. His arm that got the bullet was the most damaged part of him right now, but one of his legs was banged up from the collapse. The snake had been helping with simple exercises to help him get back to walking, such as walking a few steps across the hall or going up one flight of stairs. Since he only has one good arm, Pen had to help with things like cutting up food for him. It was frustrating, if the spider could admit it. Thing is he didn't want to. He can't show any sign of weakness, but he was doing it now. Pops would be more than disappointed in him right now.

If Henroin could see him right now, well, Niss tried not to think about that. Henroin Barone was a lot of things, and abusive is one way to describe him as a father. His brother Anthony knew too well. Niss wasn't safe from their father's wrath either when he screwed up something. Niss was grateful that Molly did everything she could to distance herself from it all, even though she still kept in touch with Anthony. They were twins and cared deeply about each other. And if there's one sin Arackniss could confess to, it would be that he was a shitty older brother to his siblings.

What he couldn't understand was why Sir Pentious was going out of his way to help him. He was an idiotic, overly-arrogant snake inventor who acts like he's still living in the 1800s with an army of fried chicken fetuses serving him. Even though he had not formally met Pentious until recently, he Niss had only knew him by reputation. What possible interest could he have in the Barones that he's going to make them weapons and help their don's son recuperate? Something seemed off.

As he wandered through the hallway, he kept close to the wall to keep his balance. The spider's leg felt better today than it had the last couple of days, but it never hurt to find a way to keep himself up. This mansion felt like one bug maze, even though he had only been here a few days, Arackniss had not gotten used to this place. He was just trying to find the kitchen for a snack, for God's sake!

Finding any wandering Egg Bois proved fruitless. So much for asking for directions. Finding one door, he opened it to reveal a large laboratory. It was filled with different machines and devices, all looking very steampunk as most people would describe it. He leaned on a table as he looked around. He was so agog that he didn't realize there was a beaker near him and he knocked it off the table, breaking it in the process. Nearby, he heard an exasperated groan.

"Did one of you moronic ovoids break something again?" Pen's voice called out. Slithering out from behind a shelf, the snake was buttoning up his coat when he saw Niss. What struck him as odd was that the snake had legs where his tail should be. He was even wearing black pants that matched his coat. "Arackniss? What are you doing here?"

"I got lost." the spider explained. "Sorry if I disturbed ya."

"Let me help you. I hit a roadblock with my laser anyway, so I guess a break is in order."

The two went to the kitchen and they both had some sandwiches. Arackniss couldn't help but sense something was off about Pentious. Besides the legs, there was something else unusual about the snake. He couldn't put his finger on it.

"Can I ask ya somethin'?"

"What?"

"Have you always had legs?" Niss asks. "I always thought you just had that tail."

Pen crossed his legs. "Hey, we can't all keep up our personas. Besides, it's my home, I can be myself when I want to."

The spider couldn't argue with that. Aside from the eggs hanging around, the snake probably had a lot of time to himself. It was interesting to see him when he's not in public either.

"Speaking of legs, how's yours today?"

"Better." Niss replied. "I can walk more but I gotta keep close to the walls for balance. My arm still feels like shit, though."

"I'd imagine. I removed the bullet, but it will take some time for it to fully heal. I hope you're doing alright."

"I told ya before, I'm fine. It's just takin' foreva!" The spider looked at himself. He didn't mean to snap, but it was so hard right now. "Sorry. Thanks for the sandwich."

He took his plate and placed into the sink as the trio of Egg Bois got to work cleaning them and made his way for the door. Subconsciously, he looked at Pen, who was still finishing up his snack. The serpent looked different to him today, how he did not know. When he realized he was staring at Pen's ass, Arackniss moved out of the room immediately. He's just thankful his host didn't notice or could see his blush. _The fuck is wrong with me?!_

* * *

_That was way too close!_ thought the serpent, placing his dishes in the sink and left the kitchen. Good thing he had his coat nearby before the spider found him. Pen didn't like working with that corset on. Hard to maneuver around with that thing. At least his coat was boxy enough to hide his curves and breasts from Arackniss. He was not ready to reveal too much about himself to him just yet. Besides, how would he even react?

No one in Hell knew of the snake's true form, and if they did, they would use it to ruin him. He has been in the Inferno over a hundred-and-thirty years and has gone too far to lose it all now. If Arackniss knew, he would be like the others who mistreated him in life. The only ones who accepted him were his father, his wife, and Vivek. He missed Vivek most of all. Looking at a mirror in the hallway and checking to make sure no one was around, Pen undid the buttons of his coat. Underneath he wore a dark gray tank top that hugged his curves and shaped the balcony on his chest.

Pen had no choice but to become a man when he was alive. His twin brother died and his father feared for his family's future. It pained him to make his daughter live a lie, but he knew what was best for them all. Even Pen did. Girls couldn't inherit anything in his day, posing as his brother was the best thing they could do. Over time, Pen accepted what he had become. He was unashamed of it. But knowing he had to keep it secret until the day he died...

Shaking his head, Pen buttoned up and went back down the hall. His laser wasn't going to tune up itself and he had to make sure it was ready for his latest client. Unbeknownst to the serpent, Arackniss was watching from a corner in disbelief by what he had seen. _Pen's a woman?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter is basically going to be about Arackniss confronting Pen and the latter telling the former about his life. Probably gonna be some heavy stuff, but let's see how it plays out.
> 
> Plenty more to come, so stay tuned!


	5. Pent's Story

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Of all the liars of the world, sometimes the worst are our own fears."
> 
> Arackniss confronts Sir Pentious and the snake tells him his harsh history. Niss reflects on them and ponders how his own father treated him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTICE: This chapter contains references to period-typical racism, misogyny, transphobia, and suicide. Read with caution.

Arackniss couldn't get the image out of his mind. How could Pent call himself a man and have tits like a woman? It was like living with Anthony only in reverse. The spider had heard of trans-men, but seeing one was a whole new thing for him. Problem is, Niss can't do anything to avoid the snake now with his injuries. That snake had already seen him without a shirt on, Niss then realized. What was he to do?

After dinner, the spider ran (or hobbled) back to his room. Right now, he wanted to avoid any kind of contact with Pentious, but when the spider stumbled, the snake caught him and helped him get back to his room. He tried his best to avoid looking at the snake's now flat chest, but his eyes kept darting back and forth to them and he hoped Pentious didn't notice. The serpent opened the door to Niss's room and sat him down on his bed and he turned to leave.

"Pent." Pentious stops when Arackniss called him. "You got a minute?"

"I don't see why not." the snake slithered over to the bed and sat next to him. "Is something on your mind?"

The spider was having trouble trying to get the words together. He's lucky that Pent can't see the blush on his face because of the fur. "Listen, earlier I was gonna ask you something, when-- Are you a guy or not?"

Pent's eyes widened. "What do you mean?"

"I know ya got tits. I saw ya lookin' at them earlier." As Pent covered his chest with his arms, rubbing his shoulders as he did, Arackniss realized what he had done. "I just don't get it, that's all. Why do you call yourself a guy if--?"

"I _am_ a man. I just don't have your biology, that's all." the snake defended himself. Sighing, he then said "Even here, I'm not safe from it."

The spider's heart dropped. "What do ya mean?"

"Being judged by my body. In life and death, I had to go through great lengths to pass as male. When I was alive, I didn't have a choice."

"You were forced to go as a guy? Why?"

Pentious took a few moments to collect himself and let out a deep sigh. "I was born in Bombay in 1848, back when India was part of the British Empire. My father was an inventor and a British noble who married an Indian woman from a wealthy family. Her parents did not approve of their daughter marrying a foreigner, but because they were in financial trouble, my father's family's wealthy would restore theirs, so the deal was made. Father was a progressive Christian man and despite their circumstances, he truly loved the woman who became my mother. Mother was a headstrong woman, which made her a difficult bachelorette back then, but she fell for my father. 

"A year after their marriage, they had me and my brother Samesh. I was born Rani Elizabeth Pennington. Growing up, my brother and I knew nothing about life past India or our home. It was our little piece of Heaven on Earth. Our parents loved us. We had a childhood friend, Vivek. His parents served mine but because Father did not want to put a child to work, he made him a playmate for me and Samesh. He was the sweetest boy I had ever known. Samesh was a kind, generous, and bright boy who looked at life like one big adventure. My father did not want me to learn traditional roles of women. Of his children, I was the most intelligent. He taught me how machines worked, how to read and write, and many skills that women today would take for granted.

"When I was seventeen, my father received news that he was to go to America. Apparently, some business partner associated with him wanted him there to consult some new deal. At the same time, my family was struck by cholera. My mother and Samesh did not survive. Father feared for our family's future. He loved me dearly, but girls couldn't inherit anything in that world. If our family would survive, I had to disguise myself as a boy. Samesh and I were twins, so it didn't take much to get me to look like him. He even created a specialized corset for me to hide my curves and..." Pentious's arms were still over his chest. Arackniss could guess. "When we arrived in America, the once peaceful world I knew was gone. I was met by bigots left and right. They hated me for my skin. I'd hate to know what they would think if they knew I was a girl posing as her dead brother. I felt like a naive child, one who spent too long in some imaginary world of their own making."

Arackniss pondered what his host was saying. Clearly, Pent has had it tough when he was alive. Racists, bigots, and even losing his mother and brother. No wonder he became the guy he is now.

"Some time after our arrival in Philadelphia, a rich man reached out to my father hoping to marry off his daughter to me. Father was nervous at the prospect, I assume for me, but I kept quiet and went along with the act. I was his obedient daughter, after all. As with the case of my parents, my bride's family was one step away from living in the poorhouse after her father made some bad investment, and the marriage would help with restoring their wealth. I guess I should be lucky. On our wedding night, I found out that my 'wife' Lavinia was a Sapphist."

"A what?" the spider interrupted.

"I believe the term now is 'lesbian'. Lavinia only agreed to marry me, before she realized what I was, to appear straight. At least we could both get away with it. I knew of her dalliances, but she knew what I was. She didn't care either. Lavinia accepted me for me, but I was just a cover for her. The only people who knew my secret were my father, Lavinia, and Vivek."

"He came with you guys?"

"At Father's insistence. He trusted him and Vivek knew of my situation. He was understanding. Then of course, my father-in-law was curious about when we were going to have children. Lavinia was barren, her doctor told her one day. I still had a woman's body and I approached the one person I could trust to help: Vivek."

"You fucked your valet?" Arackniss asked her. "He willingly did that for you?"

Pentious have a small smile. "Vivek and I had feelings for each other since we were children. He was very loyal to my family, to me. I was apprehensive about it because I didn't want to force him into something he didn't want to do, but he complied. All he cared about was me. When I discovered I was pregnant, we had to go into seclusion to have the baby. That autumn, I have birth to a son, Joseph. Lavinia and I weren't in love, but we did love Joseph. I made sure Vivek had some contact with him too, but..."

Arackniss have a concerned look. "What happened to him?"

"One day, Vivek was just coming home after a trip to the grocer." the snake said in between stifled sobs. "Hooligans dragged him into an alley, beat him to death trying to steal every penny he had on him. Police never found them. Then again, I doubt they even have a damn." Pentious let out a few tears before Niss placed his good hand on her shoulder.

"If ya don't want to continue, you can stop." he says. "But, I get the idea. You were forced into a life ya didn't want and got a raw deal in more ways than one. I know what it's like."

"Your father forced you into the mob?"

"Well, I was his only son, after he disowned my brother." Niss explained. "As such, I had no other place in life except in the mob. I was a sniper, enforcer, and my Pops' right hand man. Unlike you, I was practically bred for what I ended up as. I kinda knew I'd end up in Hell since my first kill."

Pentious have a sad smile. "I did a lot of horrible things in life. Lies, deceit. My patented weapons being used by bigots and criminals to kill innocent lives. But my worst was on the day I died. Lavinia tried to kill me."

There was a still silence for a moment.

"I should have seen it coming for the longest time. Lavinia had schizophrenia. Her delusions were nothing to be concerned about, at least we thought so. I didn't realize that over time, she was getting worse. One day, I came home and I heard screams coming from the backyard. Lavinia had Joseph's head submerged in the fountain. She was trying to drown him. 'He is unclean!', she cried. 'Possessed by evil.' I fought her off to save my son and got him into the house where he was safe when Lavinia came at me with a garden trowel. I had to wrestle it out of her hand and when she kicked me to the ground, I grabbed the tool. I never meant to do what I did. She then came at me with a brick and I slashed her throat. I watched in horror as she bled to death. I was horrified by what I had done. An under butler saw the fight and I just looked at him and my dead wife before I slit my own throat with that trowel."

Arackniss had no words. He died of an overdose, just like his brother, but hearing how the snake died was upsetting. He had it worse than the spider did. At least Pent's father cared about him. Hell, he was trying to protect him from a harsh world he was living in. He wondered what became go his son. Was he in Heaven, or down here with his parents.

"What happened to your son?" Arackniss asked. "Do ya know?"

"Well, I know he's not down here. He's too good a soul. As for Lavinia, she's here too, but the 'till death do us part' clause goes in affect when you die, so she's probably with another woman here. She deserved better than me."

"Hey, what happened to her wasn't your fault. She tried to drown your boy, for God's sake. You didn't mean to kill her."

True. It was an accident, but Pent's heart back then was weathered away by all the pain he endured. Whatever had any kindness in him was destroyed and replaced with utter misanthropy.

"Thank you for listening." Pentious says, getting up. "I'm sorry I kept you."

"Hey. Next time ya wanna talk, don't be afraid to."

As the snake left his room, Niss laid on his bed. Hearing Pent's story had made him wonder about his own lot in afterlife. Pent's father cared about him. Henroin doesn't give a shit about Arackniss. Clearly, Niss needs advice, which means he's going to have to reach out to the last person in Hell he'd like to speak to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Up next, introducing Alastor, Angel Dust, and Cherri Bomb! Basically, Pent and Niss look to their friends for advice.
> 
> Stay tuned!


End file.
